Special FeatureAdhesive with Oxygen Barrier Properties (PASLIM)

Adhesive for packaging film that prevents oxygen permeation and keeps foods fresh longer

Per Capita Food Losses and Waste, at Consumption and Pre-Consumption Stages, in Different Regions

Millions of people the world over suffer from malnutrition, yet one-third—approximately 1.3 billion metric tons—of the food produced
globally for human consumption is wasted annually, accordingly to an estimate made by the Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations in its 2011 report. Efforts are being made in many areas to help resolve this paradox, including through the use
of high-performance packaging materials to prolong shelf life, thereby minimizing food loss in distribution, retailing and consumption.
Particularly notable among these is flexible plastic film with oxygen barrier properties, which, as its name indicates, keeps oxygen—a
key cause of bacterial growth—away from food. By preventing oxidization, these materials help extend expiration dates.

A key issue with oxygen barrier packaging films is that they are generally made from multiple layers of film that must be laminated
together, which makes manufacturing difficult and discourages market acceptance in many places. Simplifying the laminated structure
of such films would thus help reduce both food waste and resource consumption.

An adhesive that prevents oxygen permeation, facilitating the reduction of packaging film weight

DIC’s Response

DIC has developed an adhesive that can be used instead of oxygen barrier film to minimize food loss

Structure of PASLIM

Examples of Structures of Laminated Oxygen Barrier Films

Packages of sausages employing oxygen barrier adhesive

A supplier of diverse, highly functional products, including printing inks, films, adhesives and coatings, in packaging markets around the
world, DIC is working to improve the oxygen barrier properties of food packaging materials with two aims—to prolong the shelf life of
food, thereby reducing food loss, and to promote the efficient use of the resources from which such materials are manufactured.

In summer 2013, these efforts led to the development of PASLIM, an adhesive with oxygen barrier properties. DIC realized this
innovative, multifunctional material by combining a polymer with low oxygen permeability and an inorganic compound filler, thereby
lengthening the distance to the food (the “maze effect ”). PASLIM thus imparts an oxygen barrier performance equivalent to that of
conventional laminated packaging films, which are several times thicker.

Because it eliminates the need for a conventional oxygen barrier film layer, PASLIM
facilitates the manufacture of dramatically thinner and lighter laminated packaging films.
As well as preventing food deterioration, PASLIM reduces the volume and the cost of
film used, emissions of CO2 during product transport and the amount of packaging film
disposed of post-consumption. DIC estimates overall CO2 emissions attributable to the
production, use and disposal of PASLIM are around 30% lower than for conventional
oxygen barrier films.

The first customer to adopt PASLIM was a livestock farming and processing company
in the PRC, which chose the product for use in packaging for hams and sausages. The
product has also been well received at numerous international packaging exhibitions. DIC
continues to receive inquiries from interested food and packaging companies worldwide.

KEY PERSON from DIC

We are establishing a business model in the PRC and expanding its application worldwide.

In addition to our usual packaging materials customers, we have proposed a
PASLIM-based food packaging solution directly to a Chinese food manufacturer.
This is a successful example of a solution realized thanks to the provision of
technical assistance to a local company, which encouraged the company to
adopt PASLIM for use in its food packaging. Looking ahead, we plan to apply
this business model worldwide by leveraging DIC’s technologies and networks to
propose solutions tailored to market conditions and requirements across various
countries and regions.

Manager in Charge, Adhesives Project Gen Suehiro

Our goal is to achieve harmony between basic research and applied technology.

In addition to synthesis technologies, which facilitated the creation of a resin with
oxygen barrier properties, and dispersion technologies, used to separate out
selected substances from a myriad of fillers, PASLIM harnesses a compounding
technology that impar ts superior adhesiveness. Collaboration between
the Corporate R&D Division and the Technical Administrative Division was
instrumental in commercializing this well-balanced high-performance adhesive.

We are contributing to social sustainability through the enhancement of barrier properties.

SAVE FOOD is a global initiative aimed at promoting sustainability by reducing global food loss and waste that spearheads efforts involving members from various sectors, primarily in Europe and North America. Imparting oxygen barrier properties to packaging film is attracting considerable attention as one solution to the problem of food waste. We are working to help address this issue by developing products that capitalize on our polymer synthesis and other elemental technologies and by leveraging our connections with converting companies around the world. By further expanding our lineup of oxygen barrier adhesives and other solutions, we will continue working to contribute to global sustainability.